Method of and apparatus for crating furniture



Dec. 11, 1928.

A. P. KIVLIN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CRATING FURNITURE A AR M J I IINVENTOR A/fred P/fizr/M Filed Jan. 21, 1927 BY hZqMAdZ ATTO EYs.

Patented Dec. ll, 1928.

ALFRED r. KIVLIN, or NEW You-K, n. Y., Assrenon ro E. J. EonsrEE,TRUSTEE or THE AMEBXOAN RAILVTAY ASSOCIATION. g

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CRATING FURNITURE.

Application filed January 21, 1927. Serial 1 To. 162,451.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for cratingfurniture.

Many articles of furniture are damaged in shipment due to the fact thatalthough the articles are crated, the weight thereof is borne by thelegs. Because of the severe handling to which the crates are subjected,the legs are broken.

Thi invention has for its salient object to so crate or packagefurniture or similar articles that the weight of the articles will beborne lr the crates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of crating orsupporting furniture in such a manner that the supporting means cannotmar or deface the finished surfaces of the furniture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of cratingfurniture for shipment in such a manner that the crating will befacilitated and expedited.

Further objects of the invention will appeal from the followingspecification taken in con nection with the drawings, which form a partof this application, and in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevationillustrating one method and form of device for crating furniture 5 Fig.2 is an end elevation of the crate shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation illustrating one form ofblocking for preventing the suspending means from engaging and mar-ringthe finished surfaces of the furniture;

Fig. 4: is a perspective elevation of the blocking;

F 5 is a sectional elevation similar to 1 illustrating the method ofcrating an article having ornamental or scroll work;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged. elevation similar to Fig. 8, but showing anotherform of blocking for preventing the suspension means from engaging andmarring the finished surfaces of the article; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the blocking shown in Fig. 7.

The invention briefly described consists of a method of and apparatusfor crating or packaging furniture or similar articles in such a mannerthat the weight of the article will be borne by the crate. The gist ofthe in- ,there is shown a crate having a top 10, bottom vention consistsof suspending the article on suitable supporting means, such as wireswhich extend over the top of the crate, downwardly along the side andbeneath the article, thus suspending the article and supporting it onthe crate whereby the weight will not be carried by the legs of thearticle; Blocking or other suitable means is utilized for prevent g thesupporting wires from engaging and marring or defacing the finishedsurfaces of'the article. urther details of the invention will appearfrom the following description. j

Any suitable form of crate may be utilized and in the form of theinvention illustrated,

11 and sides comprising a front 12, back 13 and ends 1 l and 15. Thecrate maybe braced in any desired manner and as illustrated, hastransverse side braces formed by members 16, 1'? and 18. v 1

In Figs. 1 to l inclusive, there is shown a chifionier 20 disposedwithin the crate,thetop 21 of the chiflonier being disposed beneath thetop 10 of the crate. Suitable packing 22 of felt or other material maybe interposed between the top of'the chiifonier and the top of thecrate.

The chitlonier 20 as illustrated has legs 25 and- 26 but the article issupported in such a manner that the legs do not bear the weight thereof.This is accomplished by means of flexible su tiporting means, such aswires 28 and 29, which extendacross the top members 30 and 31 of thecrate, downwardly along the ends 1 1 and 15 and beneath the transversemembers 18. It will beunderstood that any other form of flexiblesupporting means may be used, such as metal straps, wire or rope, cablesand so forth.

In order to prevent thewires from engaging and-marring the finishedlower edges 35 of the article, blocking is interposed between the wiresand these surfaces. Thisblocking may have any desired form or shape butin the form of the invention shown particularly in Figs. 3 andl, theblocking consists of a pair of strips 86 and 8'? secured together and sodimensioned as to fit under the bottom of the cliirlonier and beneaththe surfaces 35 as shown in Fig. 3.

l/Vhen the ends of the wires 28 and 29 are connected together andtwisted, the weight of the chifi'onier will be supported on the wires.

This can be conveniently I accomplished by crating the furniture upsideclowni The structure shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive is similarto thatalready described. In these figures, however, chiifonier' illus tratedas having ornamental or scrollwork 410 and 41 at the top and bottomthereof and similar scroll work 42' at the en'd's'of the'bottom. In thiscase, the top 45 of the-chiffonier is supported against cross pieces 46and 47. The Wires asin the other embodiment extendacross the crossstrips 30 and: 31 of the top crate, down the ends or sides 14% and15=air-d:

beneath the transverse strips 18. I

Theblocking in this instance consistsofa pair of board strips 50 and 51secured together ijn T-shape so-a's to space the Wire away from thescroll Work 48 at the ends of the bottom of thexfurniture. In:th-is'case as in the preceding: embodiment, the I furniture can mostconveniently be cratedi'ipside-doWn and thewirescan -be twisted andplaced under sufficient tension to support the article. Any suitableform of mechanical device may be usedfor securing and tensioning theWireor metal straps. For instance; Wire tying devices-are very efficientand=by meansof such devices thewire can be quickly and easily securedWith minimum amount of labor. I

Fromjthe foregoing'description it Will be clear that the method andapparatus described-Will sosupport fu-rnitureor any other desiredarticlethat the- Weight of thearticle W illnot-beborne by the legsthereof. Inthis manner," breakageof the article-shipped is materiallyreducedand theliability of-breakage is re duced tominimunn Althoughcertain specific embodiments" of the invention -have been particularlyshown and described, it will be-understoodthat themay be madewithoutdepartingfrom' the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in thefollowing claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a furniture crate having atop, lbngitu-din al andtransverse side n1embers and a bottom,- and flexible means forsuspending the article to be crated extending across the top, down thesides and through the crate beneath the article in supporting positionwith respect thereto.

2: in combination, a furniture crate having a top, longitudinal andtransverse side members and a bottom,iicxible means for suspending thearticle to be crated extending across the top down the sides and throughthe crate beneath the article in supporting position with respectthereto, and spacing and protecting means between the flexible meansand=- finished surfaces of the article.

3. In coinlination, a furniture crate having a top, longituninal andtransverse side members and a bottom, certain of the transverse sidemembers beingspaced above the bottom of the crate, and Wires extendingacross the outside sur ace of the top of the crate, down the sides-ofthe crate, beneath the transverse men bers above the bottom' of theplate, through the crate and beneath the article to be suspended andsupported thereby.

i, In combination a furniture crate havin a top, longitudinalandtransverse side-'meinbers,'and a'bottom, Wires for suspending thearticle to be crated extending across the top, down the sides andthrough the crate, beneath the article in supporting position, withrespect thereto, spacingand protecting block between the flexible Wires,and the finished surfaces ofthe article, and protecting felts betweenthe sides of the crate and the finished 7 surfaces of the article.

In Witness whereof, Iii-ave hereunto set my hand this18thday ofJa-nuary,1927.

ALFRED" P.- KIVLIN.

